Effect of Mulching Materials on Growth and Yield Attributes and Enhancing Farm Income Through Ginger Cultivation Under Rainfed Rice Based Production System

Trials were conducted for two consecutive years during 2001-03 in farmers’ field in the Kymore plateau region (Jabalpur) of Madhya Pradesh to evaluate five treatments consisting of mulching with paddy straw, palas leaves, dry grass, polyethylene sheet and control (without mulch) in randomized block design with five replications. The findings revealed that use of mulching material in ginger enhanced growth and yield attributes as well as rhizome yield along with higher economics as compared to no mulch. Further, highest growth and yield as well as net return and Input :Output ratio could be realised with application of palas leaves. It was also found that ginger cultivation is more beneficial as compared to paddy cultivation.